


Good Enough

by belasgrl



Category: The Sims (Video Games)
Genre: Abuse, Homophobia, LGBTQ Female Character, The Sims, The Sims 4, Vampires, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:34:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29812671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belasgrl/pseuds/belasgrl
Summary: Sims 4 story. Gabrielle Lewis is abused by her grandmother. A long-lost relative comes into her life, and things seem to start to look up for Gabrielle, but life doesn't always work out in someone's favor. Tw for abuse and homophobia.





	1. Chapter 1

Gabrielle Lewis lived in a fairly ordinary house with her grandmother in Newcrest. Gabrielle's parents had died 8 months prior, and Joan had taken her in, being the only family Gabrielle had left. 

The house sat on a small lot, and there weren't many houses in the neighborhood, so they didn't have a lot of neighbors. Gabrielle found it extremely dull and isolating. It was alright to visit; she had visited often when she was a kid. Now that she was a teenager, though, it was a different story.

Gabrielle didn't get along with her father's mother. As a little girl, she was loved completely for who she was. Dressed in pretty pink dresses and bows, she was praised for her choice of clothing and the way she played with her kitchen set and her dolls. When she got older, Gabrielle traded pink dresses for black T-shirts and jeans, and toys for music and journals filled with thoughts only the teenager knew. What she naturally became wasn't good enough for her grandmother, and the two drifted apart. 

When Gabrielle's parents died, she had no other place to go but her grandmother's. Despite having a roof over her head and food on her plate, Gabrielle couldn't get everything she needed. The loss of her parents hit her hard, but she couldn't talk about it with anyone around her. She kept to herself, going throughout the days without saying much. This frustrated her grandmother, who believed Gabrielle should have been more outgoing and talkative. 

One day before lunch, Joan lectured Gabrielle. "We really should take you shopping so you can get some different clothes. You wear too much black!"

"I like my clothes," Gabrielle simply said. 

"You used to wear such pretty things. What happened to that shirt I got for you for your birthday?" 

"It's not really me." 

This made Joan angry. "Well, I'm sorry nothing is good enough for you! You should be grateful you get anything at all! Some people don't have anything!" 

Gabrielle said nothing and just stood up to leave the kitchen. "Don't you walk away from me, young lady!" the old woman shouted. "You still have chores to do around here!" 

Joan cooked lunch, and they both ate in silence. The old woman, who was now calmer, tried to engage the teenager in conversation, but Gabrielle barely responded to anything that was said. 

Later, after Gabrielle finished washing the dishes, she left the house to go to the library. She told her grandma that she needed to study, but really, she just wanted to get away from her. 

Meanwhile...

A man had just moved to San Myshuno. He stood inside his newly-furnished apartment and looked around, satisfied. "This is good," he said aloud in a heavy accent. Then, he left the apartment. He had already wasted enough time.


	2. Chapter 2

Gabrielle went to the library in Willow Creek that afternoon. She only had a few hours until it would start getting dark, but those few hours would bring her relief from the stress of being at home. 

As she approached the front doors, she was stopped by a man. "Excuse me?" he said in a foreign accent. 

"Yes?" she asked, thinking he was going to ask for directions. 

"Are you Gabrielle Lewis?" 

"Yes..." Gabrielle was immediately skeptical. 

The man looked relieved, and he held out his hand. "I am Krasimir Stoyanov. I just moved here." 

"It's nice to meet you," she politely told him, shaking his hand. She quickly pulled her hand away. His was ice cold. 

"I know this seems very random," Krasimir said, not acknowledging her action, "but I have a specific reason that I moved here. Do you have time to talk?" 

Gabrielle thought about all the things she wanted to do in the library, but she was curious what this new acquaintance wanted to say. "Sure." 

"I suppose I should just come right out and tell you this," Krasimir told her, nervously. "I am one of your relatives." 

Gabrielle stared at him in shock, taking a moment to respond. "I've never even heard of you."

"Well, that's because I'm a distant relative." 

Gabrielle stepped back, even more skeptical now. As she turned to walk into the library, the man suddenly said, "Wait! I have proof!" 

She stopped, and he proceeded to show her a family tree that had both of their names on it, though his name was back several generations. "That's impossible!" Gabrielle gasped. You can't be that old...unless..."

Krasimir looked at her, solemnly. 

"Unless you're a vampire," she finished. 

He gave her a small nod. 

Gabrielle had heard about vampires residing in Forgotten Hollow, but she had never seen one, none that she had known of, anyway. She really didn't know much about them except that they drank blood. 

Sims' blood. 

Even with this knowledge, the next thought that entered her mind was the one she ended up voicing. "You need to get inside or you'll die...I mean, again." 

Krasimir seemed surprised at her concern. He chuckled, good-naturedly. "I am fine for now. We are in the shade." 

"Please, let's go inside."

"If it will ease your mind." 

They went inside the library and sat across from each other at a chess table. Gabrielle looked confused. "Are you alright?" Krasimir asked. 

"I'm just trying to process all this. You're my uncle from hundreds of years ago. Why didn't you show up sooner?" 

"I had no need to until now. I just found out recently your parents passed away." 

Gabrielle nodded, sadly. "8 months and 5 days ago." 

"I am terribly sorry for your loss," he told her. "As your ancestor, it is my duty to help take care of you. Whatever you need, I will provide. I will help you financially, and you will want for nothing." 

Gabrielle became uncomfortable. "That's nice of you, but it's unnecessary. I'm not going to take money from you just because we're related."

"You are taking nothing from me; I am offering," he insisted.

Apparently, Krasimir thought Gabrielle would immediately jump on the offer. Her refusal shocked him, greatly. "Unless you can change the past and keep my parents from dying, there's nothing you can possibly give me that I'd want," she told him. 

Krasimir stood up and gave her a card. "This is my number. Please call if you change your mind." Then, he left the library. 

Gabrielle got up and sat in front of a computer. She turned it on and practised writing. However, she had a hard time concentrating. It would take her awhile to fully process what had just happened.


	3. Chapter 3

A couple of days after Gabrielle had met her formerly-unknown relative, Krasimir, Gabrielle was heading to her bedroom after doing the dishes. Joan was sitting in the living room, watching TV. "Come here," she told her granddaughter. 

Reluctantly, Gabrielle sat on the couch and saw that her grandmother was watching the news. The report was about a few vampires that were running for the city council. Joan frowned. "Gabrielle, look at this. This is what's going to ruin society." 

Gabrielle didn't say anything, but she pretty much knew what was coming: a lecture. 

"These creatures are unnatural and have no place among us," Joan said. "They are disgusting and bloodthirsty and have nothing but bad intentions. Unfortunately, they're being more and more accepted, so you need to be careful. Never, ever interact with any of them. Do you understand me?" 

Usually, Gabrielle would let Joan's words go in one ear and out the other, but she couldn't ignore this speech. She immediately thought of Krasimir and how kind he had seemed. It would have been wrong for her to automatically assume he was evil just because he was a vampire. However, arguing with her grandmother would be pointless; once Joan believed something, nothing would change her mind.

After simply nodding, Gabrielle went to her room and sat on her bed. She stared at her dresser, then got up and opened the top drawer, where she kept the card Krasimir had given her. She hadn't called his number yet. 

Gabrielle stared at the card, debating on whether to call him or not. She needed someone to talk to and an excuse to get away. She came up with an idea and then dialed the number. 

After Krasimir answered, Gabrielle said, quietly, "Hey. It's Gabrielle." 

"Gabrielle!" Krasimir exclaimed, seeming happy to hear from her. "What can I do for you?" 

"Can we meet up at the museum?" 

"The museum?" Krasimir asked, perplexed. "Yes, of course." 

"Okay. See you in a few minutes." 

10 minutes later, they met up at the museum in Willow Creek. Gabrielle immediately went inside so Krasimir wouldn't have to stay out in the sun for long. 

Inside, they sat down and greeted each other. "So, what do you need?" Krasimir asked, getting straight to the point. 

"I...I just wanted to talk," Gabrielle answered. In reality, she didn't actually know what she needed. She was so used to keeping her feelings and problems to herself that the thought of sharing them with anyone at all was daunting. 

"Talk?" Krasimir was surprised. He had expected her to ask for money; after all, that had been the reason he had given her his number. 

"If it's okay." 

Krasimir thought about this, but only for a split second. "Certainly. What is on your mind?" 

So many things. She didn't know where to start. 

"I'm...lost," was what she finally said. It didn't sound like her voice. Had she even said it? 

"Lost?" Krasimir asked, listening intently. 

"I don't know what to do with my life or who I am. I don't belong anywhere." Gabrielle looked down, clasping her hands on her lap.

"Gabrielle, you have plenty of time to figure all that out. You have your whole life to create and recreate yourself." 

"I can't." 

"Why not?" 

Gabrielle couldn't tell him about her home life. There was only so much she could do at home. There was only so much space she could take up. She wasn't allowed to do or say much without getting yelled at or criticized for it. 

When she didn't answer, Krasimir asked, "Does your grandmother know you are having these troubles?" 

"No." 

"You should tell her," he said. "Speaking of, I'd like to meet her." 

"What?" Gabrielle immediately felt sick to her stomach. 

"She's not technically part of my family, but I believe it would do us all good if we were acquainted." 

Gabrielle tried not to panic and spoke, controlling her voice, "That's not a great idea right now. She's...under a lot of stress and needs some time to sort things out. I'll let you know when stuff has calmed down a little." 

Krasimir looked skeptical but ultimately accepted this answer. "Very well." 

Breathing a sigh of relief, Gabrielle changed the subject. "What's it like to be a vampire?" It was the first thing she thought of. 

"It has its perks," he answered. "Immortal life, the chance to amass knowledge, seeing the world change and evolve...But it is lonely. Sims have a finite existence, which makes their time a gift. Their lives have purpose. A vampire's life is neverending and has no direction. We exist for the sake of existing." 

"Don't you live for blood?" 

"I wouldn't say that. I'd say blood is life. I suppose it is unfortunate that we must take it from others in order to survive, but all creatures must take from the world in some way. It is no better or worse than what anyone else has to do." 

Gabrielle nodded. "I'm sorry if I'm annoying you by asking so many questions."

"Not at all," Krasimir assured her. "I am thankful you are not afraid of me and are taking the time to get to know me."

"I just have one more question. If you had a chance, would you go back in time and stop yourself from being a vampire?" 

Krasimir thought for awhile. "No," he finally answered. "True, my life would have been much different had I remained mortal, and certain parts of it would have been better, but being a vampire is a part of me. I am what I am, and I am not ashamed of what I became."

Gabrielle nodded.

They spent the next hour chatting and looking at the exhibits. When it started becoming dark, Gabrielle went home.


	4. Chapter 4

That Saturday while Joan was at work, Gabrielle was by herself in the living room, watching TV. She flipped through the channels, bored. She stopped when something caught her attention. Two women were sitting close together, talking. Suddenly, they leaned in and kissed. 

Gabrielle's eyes widened. Joan wouldn't let her watch anything on TV about gay people. One time when they were at the store, two men were holding hands, and Joan had whispered to her that it was disgusting. So, Gabrielle hadn't had much of an opportunity to see these kinds of relationships, especially not without her grandmother's commentary. 

Now, here she was, seeing two women kiss. It shouldn't have been anything out of the ordinary, but to Gabrielle, it meant so much. She could view this safely and without any criticism. 

One of the things Gabrielle kept to herself was that she wasn't straight. She had known for about a year that she was attracted to girls, but she couldn't let anyone know or else her grandmother would find out. It was so difficult to hide this, but the alternative wasn't good, either. 

Suddenly, Krasimir's words that he said at the museum echoed in her head. "I am what I am." Sure, he had been talking about his vampirism, but wouldn't that also apply to her sexuality? She couldn't change who she was. Why did she need to? Liking girls wasn't gross or wrong. 

How long would she keep living a lie? 

Gabrielle went on a website on her phone. Hesitating, she debated buying a pride flag to hang up in her room. Finally, she took the leap and purchased it. It arrived a few days later, and she was able to get it inside and hang it up without any problems. Joan didn't come into her room often, so maybe it wouldn't be a big deal. Even if it was, she was willing to deal with whatever would happen.


	5. Chapter 5

It was a calm night with nothing but clear skies, as usual. Gabrielle was sitting on her bed and took a break from her homework to stare out the window. She could see the stars twinkling in the sky, and there was a crescent moon out. 

Gabrielle was immediately pulled out of her daze when her bedroom door swung open. "Gabrielle, I need you to gather-" Joan stated, then stopped. She looked up at her granddaughter's wall and saw the rainbow flag. 

"Yes?" Gabrielle asked after a pause. 

"What is that doing in here?" Joan asked, pointing to the flag. 

"It's my flag," replied Gabrielle, taking a deep breath. 

"Take that down. Now." 

"No." 

"What did you say?" 

"No. I bought it with my own money." 

"I don't care. You're not going to hang that filth in my house!" 

"It's not filth. It means something to me...Grandma, I'm gay." 

Joan stared at Gabrielle and glared. "No, you're not," she said in a dangerously soft voice. 

Gabrielle's stomach twisted in knots. She could still back out of this and avoid more conflict, but that would mean more lies, more hiding, more pain. 

"Yes, I am," Gabrielle told her in a shaky voice. "I like girls." 

"Where did you get all these ideas?!" Joan screamed at her. "I taught you better than this!" She walked to the flag and started taking it down off the wall. 

Gabrielle immediately got up and pressed her hands against the flag, trying to keep it up. "It's not bad!" 

"Yes, it is! I can't believe you would do something like this!" Joan yanked it off the wall. 

Before her grandmother could do anything else, Gabrielle quickly grabbed the flag, narrowly snatching it from Joan. A little bit of it tore. 

Suddenly, Joan slapped Gabrielle across the face, leaving a red mark. Gabrielle stood back, gaping. "That was for your own good. Wake up, Gabrielle," Joan told her. 

Gabrielle froze for a moment, then grabbed her phone and ran out of the house, still holding her pride flag. 

At 9:15 PM, Krasimir heard a knock at his front door. When he opened it, he saw Gabrielle standing there with a red mark across her face and her whole body shaking. She held her cell phone and a rainbow flag. 

"Gabrielle, what happened?" he gasped, horrified. 

"She...she..." 

Gabrielle burst out crying, putting a hand over the mark on her face. 

"Who did this to you?" Krasimir asked, desperately trying to get an answer. 

"Please...I just need a place to stay for a few days. I won't be a bother. I promise." 

Krasimir figured out she was afraid to tell him. He knelt down and spoke in a kind voice. "Whatever happened, you can tell me the entire truth without fear. You are safe with me." 

His words calmed her down, and she said in a very quiet voice, "Grandma did it." 

Stunned, Krasimir stood up and took a step back. "Your grandmother did this?" 

She nodded, slowly. 

Krasimir didn't know what to think or what to do. His mind raced, and he grew enraged. However, he had to keep his temper under control for the time being. Finally, he did the only thing that seemed to be a good idea at the time and hugged Gabrielle. 

Gabrielle was shocked for a split second, then welcomed the hug. Krasimir didn't let go, and he told her, "Let's go inside, and you can tell me the entire story." 

Once they went into the apartment, Gabrielle sat down on a couch and began explaining what happened. Clutching the pride flag on her lap, tightly, she fearfully awaited his reaction. 

"You will stay with me," Krasimir told her after she was done. "You will never be treated like that again." 

"It was my fault," she said. "I knew she wouldn't take it well, yet I got the flag, anyway."

Appalled, Krasimir quickly sat by her. "Gabrielle, this is NOT your fault! She hurt you. She put her beliefs over her own flesh and blood. The blame is completely on her." 

Gabrielle looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I didn't know where else to go." 

"I'm glad you came here. I will make sure this doesn't happen again," Krasimir stated. "You need rest. You will have the other bedroom upstairs." 

He showed her to the spare bedroom and said good night to her. Gabrielle practically collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Gabrielle didn't sleep well and had troubled dreams. She woke up the next morning and was startled at first when she found herself in an unfamiliar bedroom. 

Then, she remembered what had happened the night before. 

Gabrielle sat up in bed and started thinking about what she should do now. She left the bedroom and went downstairs. 

Krasimir was sitting on the couch in the living room, reading a book that looked very old. He immediately greeted her when she entered the room. "Good morning. There is some food in the refrigerator." 

"I'm not hungry." 

"You are a Sim; you must eat," he insisted. 

Gabrielle went in the kitchen and got a small bowl of yogurt. She sat in the kitchen and ate. 

"How are you feeling?" Krasimir asked, walking in. 

"Terrible. I'm still sore and shaken up. I don't know what I'm going to do." 

"You shouldn't go to school today; you're not in a good enough state." 

"I can't skip school." 

"I will take care of everything. You need to rest and recover from your ordeal."

"I'm going to look for a job today," Gabrielle said. 

"A job?" 

"Maybe I'll be able to get an apartment and a roommate." 

Krasimir was confused. "But I told you you're staying here." 

"I only need a few days to get on my feet. I appreciate you letting me stay here for a little bit, though." 

Krasimir shook his head. "I don't think you understand. You will live here. This is your home now. I will not let you go back to your grandmother's, nor will I allow you to be on the streets. You need to be in a safe place where you can gather your thoughts and finish school so you'll be able to start your adult life." 

"Oh..." Gabrielle said. "Are you sure about this?" 

"Absolutely." Seeing how upset and stressed she was, he suggested, "Why don't you spend time with your friends today after they get out of school?" 

Gabrielle said, "I only have one friend. I guess I could ask her to hang out later." 

"Excellent! Getting out and about will help your mood." 

Gabrielle took a nap, then woke up around 4 PM. She called her friend and asked to meet her at the park. Gabrielle then left the room. She was going to inform Krasimir where she was going, but he was nowhere around. Maybe he was in his room, asleep. 

Gabrielle left the apartment and arrived at the park, where she met up with her best friend. 

Felicity Jones was one of the most popular girls at school. When Gabrielle first moved in with her grandma and had to go to a new school, Felicity was the first one to make her feel welcome, and they quickly grew close. At first, Gabrielle was confused why such a great person would want to be friends with her. Felicity was on the student council, was a talented and passionate artist, and made straight As. Everybody liked her.

And she was the most beautiful person in the world. 

They greeted each other with a hug, then sat together at a picnic table. Felicity asked Gabrielle, worried, "You weren't at school today. Are you okay?" 

For the entire time Gabrielle had lived in that area, she never went into detail about her home life. It had never gotten this bad until now, and Gabrielle didn't want to tell her best friend about what her grandma did. She had to do whatever she could to protect Felicity's happiness. 

"Yeah. Just wasn't feeling well," Gabrielle replied. "I got plenty of rest, though, so luckily, it didn't get worse." 

"I'm so glad. I wrote down what we did in Algebra and English for you." She got a piece of paper out of her purse and handed it to Gabrielle. 

"Thank you so much. You're the best." 

The two spent the next few hours together at the park, chatting, eating tofu dogs, and hanging out on the playground equipment. Gabrielle began feeling better and even forgot about her problems for awhile. Felicity had the ability to make people feel better about the world when everything was gray and bleak. 

Gabrielle was in love with Felicity but was afraid to tell her. She didn't know how she'd respond, and she couldn't risk losing her best friend. Gabrielle was going through a very rough time and couldn't bear more heartbreak. 

It could wait. What was more important right now was to get through the pain of what recently happened. 

As darkness crept upon the world, Gabrielle and Felicity said their goodbyes, and they went back to their homes. 

Gabrielle had a hard time processing that Krasimir's apartment was her home now. It was very nice, spacious, and upscale; it was the kind of place she always dreamed about living in. However...

However...

She hadn't wanted to end up in a place like that by losing her parents or being hit by her grandma. 

Gabrielle entered the apartment and sat at the computer, which was near the entrance, to practice writing. Someday, she'd be skilled enough to start a book. 

Not even a half hour later, the front door opened. Krasimir walked in, but he looked much different than usual. His face was cracked in places, like he was a statue that someone had taken a hammer to. There were very dark circles under his eyes, making him look sinister. His reddish brown eyes were now glowing bright red. 

Gabrielle froze in fear.


	7. Chapter 7

Krasimir realized Gabrielle was staring at him, wide-eyed, and he quickly turned his back toward her. "I...didn't know you'd be home...so soon..." he struggled to say. 

"What's wrong?" Gabrielle asked, trembling. 

"I am in my dark form," Krasimir explained. "This, you can say, is what I look like on the inside: crumbling, ancient, immoral. In my human-like form, I am youthful, agreeable, and I blend in. It is a portrait of me, frozen in time. This... is a reflection of how I've changed, the proof of my loss of humanity."

He kept his back towards her. Gabrielle stood up and walked behind him, keeping her distance. Hearing her get up and move closer to him made him wince. "But why are you in this form now?" Gabrielle asked.

"I was out feeding." 

There was a long silence between them, then Gabrielle stated, "You said all creatures must take from the world in some way. I didn't really think about it that before, but I think I understand now." 

Krasimir's body was enveloped in black smoke, and he slowly turned around when it dissipated. He was in his human-like form now, and Gabrielle relaxed, slightly. When he walked toward her, though, she took a step back. "Gabrielle, I told you you are safe with me. I promise that no harm will come to you while you are in my care." 

"You won't drink my blood?" 

"Never." 

Gabrielle took a deep breath and bravely hugged him, saying, "Okay. I trust you." 

Krasimir hugged her back. "I must get used to this," he told her, softly. "I have not had much contact with family for many years." 

Gabrielle gave him a small smile. 

"Tell me about your day." They sat down on the couch. 

"I slept, then I hung out with my best friend at the park," Gabrielle told him. "I had a really good time." 

"Wonderful!" Krasimir exclaimed. "Things are getting better for you already!" 

"Yeah. I just wish..." 

"What?" 

"I'm still really hurt about what Grandma did. She and I never got along, but this...This crossed the line. Why doesn't she love me? Why am I not good enough as I am?" she choked out, tears falling down her cheeks. 

Krasimir assured her, "You ARE good enough. She didn't give you the love and care you deserve. It is her loss." 

"But it's mine, too. She was supposed to love me, not hurt me. I want to ask her why she did this to me. I want answers!"

Krasimir got a strange look on his face, then said, "You will never get them." 

"Why not?!" 

"Because people like her cannot be reasoned with. You will eventually have to accept what happened and treat others better than the way she treated you. She will live and die with her choices. It is up to you how long you will carry them with you."

Gabrielle thought about this for awhile. "It'll always hurt," she stated, quietly. 

"I know, but you can have a prosperous life despite what happened." 

"I hope you're right." 

Days later, Gabrielle received the news that her grandmother had died. Someone had found her in her home after she hadn't shown up for work. It looked like she had passed away in her sleep. 

When Gabrielle heard about Joan's death, she was at home, doing her homework. She put it away and sat in silence in the living room with all the lights off. 

This is how Krasimir found her when he woke up. After turning on the lights, he saw Gabrielle was sitting on the couch. "Gabrielle?" 

"She's dead." 

Krasimir was silent. 

"I never got to talk to her about what she did. Now, I'll never be able to." 

"I...don't know how to respond." 

"You don't have to. I don't even know how I should feel." 

"However you feel. You can't control it. I should have told you sooner." 

"What?" 

"I mean, it would have been better for you to find out right after it happened, since you were her next of kin." 

"How do you know how long she's been dead?" 

"I was told about it two days ago. I just didn't know how to approach the subject." 

Gabrielle looked confused. "They just found her body today."

Krasimir's eyes darted, and he avoided eye contact. Gabrielle came upon a realization. "You did it," she accused. 

"I didn't do anything." 

"You're lying! Tell me the truth!" 

After a long pause, Krasimir confessed, "I killed her." 

"W-why?" Gabrielle asked, horrified. 

"Because she hurt you. When you told me she hit you, I felt anger like I had not felt in centuries! She needed to be held accountable for her actions!" 

Gabrielle quickly stood up. "I didn't want this! I didn't want you to murder her! You took away my chance to get any kind of closure!" 

"Gabrielle, I'm sorry," Krasimir remorsefullly told her. "I...I have no excuse." 

"I never want to see you again!" Gabrielle screamed at him, then left the apartment.


	8. Chapter 8

Gabrielle went to Felicity's house and knocked on the door. Felicity's mother answered. Seeing Gabrielle looking worse than death, she let her inside and got Felicity, then made some hot cocoa. 

Felicity asked Gabrielle, "What's wrong?" 

"Can I stay here for a day?" 

Giving the cups of hot chocolate to the girls, Felicity's mother replied, "Of course. You're always welcome here." 

No matter how much Felicity asked, Gabrielle wouldn't talk about what was going on. So, Felicity tried to get Gabrielle's mind off of things. They watched movies and ate popcorn until they went to bed. 

The next day, Felicity coaxed Gabrielle to swim with her in the pool in the backyard. Once they were outside, alone, Gabrielle said, "There's something I want to tell you. Actually, there are lots of things, but I didn't want to bother you with my problems." 

"What? You're my best friend," Felicity told her. "I'm here for you, like you're here for me. Remember when Ray dumped me? You helped me get over the breakup." 

"I know, but this is really heavy." 

"Tell me. I can handle it. Don't worry." 

With difficulty, Gabrielle told her the way her grandmother had treated her and about how Krasimir had let her stay in his home. The last thing she told her was about her grandmother dying, though she left out the part about Krasimir killing her. 

Felicity listened, sympathetically, horrified that her best friend had gone through so much pain. She hugged Gabrielle and didn't let go. "I am so sorry you went through all that. You didn't deserve it. You must feel terrible." 

Gabrielle nodded. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't have anywhere to go." 

"I thought you lived at your uncle's." 

"We had a fight. I can't stay with him anymore." Gabrielle sat with her head in her hands. 

Felicity said, "I'm sure Mom and Dad will let you stay here. And don't say no, because I'm not going to take that for an answer."

Gabrielle nodded. "Okay." She sighed. "I feel like I'm starting my life all over again. Soon, I'm not going to have anything or anyone left." 

"Sure, you will. I'll always be your friend. And Mom and Dad and my little brother like you, too. You won't have to go through this alone." 

"You have no idea how much this means to me," Gabrielle said, gratefully. 

"What are friends for? And don't be afraid to tell me stuff, okay? We're here for each other." 

Gabrielle agreed, then Felicity got in the pool. "Come on in. Daylight is wasting!" she laughed, merrily. 

Gabrielle got in, and the two girls swam until dinnertime. 

A few days later, Gabrielle went to her grandmother's house, alone. Her tombstone had been placed in the backyard, and Gabrielle walked to it and stood in front of it, staring at it. 

The sun was shining, but this didn't reflect Gabrielle's mood at all. The only sounds that were heard were birds chirping. 

Finally, Gabrielle spoke, aloud. "Hi, Grandma. I wish I could have seen you before you died. My last memory of you is of you slapping me. They say don't speak ill of the dead, but you didn't really do much to deserve my kindness. I don't owe you anything. But I didn't want you to die, especially like you did. I wanted the chance for us to talk. I'll never know why you hated me so much or why me being gay was a dealbreaker. I know you went through a lot after losing your own child, but I wish you would have treated me better. It's going to take me a long time to figure out how to move on. I'm a little sad that you're gone since you were my grandma, but I'll never feel the way about you that some people think I should. I guess, wherever you are, goodbye is going to have to be good enough." 

Gabrielle looked up and slightly turned her head. "What are you doing here?" 

Krasimir was standing next to the house in the shade. "I wanted to talk." 

"This is the last thing I need right now. You took a bad situation and made it worse. I don't owe you anything, either." 

"You're right. In fact, I owe you. I'm giving you my fortune and leaving the area." 

"I don't want your damn money! I never did! I just wanted family who'd love me and support me! Money isn't going to fix what you did!" 

"What can I do?" Krasimir desperately asked, holding his hands out. 

"Nothing. Just go." 

"Let me at least say something before I do." 

Gabrielle waited. 

"I was wrong. I let my anger take a hold of me, and it ended up costing me everything. I'm so sorry." 

Gabrielle looked down, frowning, still not speaking. 

Krasimir approached her and gently put his hands on her arms, attempting to look at her. "You don't have to forgive me. I ask nothing of you but one thing: to try to believe me when I say I love you and care about you. I wish you the best in your life." 

He pulled away, then turned into a bat and flew into the sky, disappearing from sight. 

Gabrielle finally looked up. There was nothing left to do now but go back to Felicity's house. Her future was even more uncertain now than it was when her parents had died. At least she had a place to go, but it would be difficult to put all her broken pieces together. Her life would never be the same, but she had to make do with whatever little she had left. 

It would have to be good enough.


End file.
